"Strongly
condemn the harassment of Rona Wilson, Public Relations Secretary of
CRPP, and others in the name of ‘search operations’

As part of a
shocking search operation conducted by the Pune (Maharashtra) police on
April 17, 2018, at the residences of various activists in Maharashtra,
the home of the CRRP Public Relations Secretary, Rona Wilson was also
searched in Delhi. The Committee for Release
of Political Prisoners (CRPP) strongly condemns the police raids in the
residences of peoples activists in the strongest words.

On 31st December 2017, an Elgar Parishad was organised to commemorate
the 200th anniversary of the battle of Bhima-Koregaon which was
attended by thousands who gathered to raised their voice against the
forces of Bramanical Hindutva Fascism. On the following day, that is,
1st January 2018, a mob carrying saffron flags instigated by Sambhaji
Bhide and Milind Ekbote attacked the masses and activists who had
gathered for the commemoration. It should be noted that instead of
taking timely action against those who incited and perpetrated violence
that ensued after the Elgar Parishad, the state machinery has chosen to
devote its time and attention to target and harass activists and lawyers
who have been speaking against the anti-people policies of the
government. Both the main forces behind the pre-meditated violence on
1st January 2018, Sambhaji Bhide and Milind Ekbote, are right wing
activists closely connected with the ruling BJP and the Sangh Parivar.
The police forces have failed to arrest Sambhaji Bhide in connection
with this case. Rather, they seem interested in conjuring up an
elaborate tale of how the songs of peoples’ resistance sung by activists
at the commemoration on 31st December were deliberately intended to
incite violence! Allegedly under the same pretext of investigating the
Bhima Koregaon incident, a team of Pune police led by Deputy
Commissioner of Police Pravin Munde and investigating officer, Shivaji
Pawar searched the residence of Rona Wilson in Delhi by arbitrarily
trying to frame him under the Sections 153 a, 117, 505 1 (b), 34 of the
IPC. The police has seized his laptop, phone, books and some money from
his residence under the pretext of this arbitrary raid.

Rona
Wilson has been an activist for several years, advocating for the cause
of political prisoners all over India. As Public Relations Secretary of
the CRPP, he has been at the forefront of organising numerous
conventions against the unconstitutional nature of draconian laws like
UAPA and AFSPA, and against the arbitrary use of death penalty,
specifically against Muslims and Dalit minorities. He is an active voice
in the campaign for the release of political prisoners condemning the
anti-people ploys of the state machinery for arbitrarily persecuting
minorities and marginalised sections.

That these raids are
happening at a time when voices of Dalit resistance are transforming
into an avalanche of resistance against the anti-people policies of the
state indicates the deliberate attempt by the powers that be to stifle
all voices of protest. Moreover, it exposes the brazen vengeance of the
state against Dalit upsurge organising against the unbridled loot and
plunder of resources by imperialist capital aided by the forces of
Hindutva Fascism. By targeting activists and peoples lawyers, the state
is blatantly trying to snuff out even voices of defense from political
prisoners. It must be understood that violence that ensued in Bhima
Koregaon is being used as an alibi by the ruling classes to browbeat
activists and lawyers who have been fighting for the people into
silence. These pre-meditated raids reflect the desperation of the
increasingly police state and its growing tendency within the executive
to frame activists and lawyers under false charges and keep them in
confinement under prolonged incarceration.

It must
also be highlighted that this arbitrary and illegal search has come at a
time when CRPP has been able to gather public opinion against the
conviction of Dr. GN Saibaba, Hem Mishra, Prashant Rahi, Vijay Tirki,
Mahesh Tirki and Pandu Narote. The Gadchiroli Sessions Court, in its 827
page judgment, inadvertently exposes the workings of a national
security state which uses the instrument of law to thwart dissent. It is
not a coincidence that when retired judges and prominent lawyers have
agreed to speak at a convention (proposed for April 22, 2018) condemning
the Gadchiroli Sessions Court judgement, the state machinery has used
the pretext of the Bhima Koregaon incident to harass Wilson in order to
divert the attention of the public and stop their mobilisation against
the judgement of Gadchiroli Sessions Court.

The CRPP strongly
condemns the arbitrary police raid conducted at the residence of Rona
Wilson and other activists from Maharashtra which is nothing but a
tactic to intimidate activists and prevent them from mobilising people
and raising voice against the violence perpetrated by the state.